Choux à la Crème is a small design studio and lifestyle brand based in Beirut. Imbued with a playful wit, Choux's whimsical greeting cards and stationery are printed by hand on a vintage Heidelberg letterpress. With a selection of Choux's cards now available online, and an extensive range in store at Trunk LABS, we sat down with founder and creative director Rouba Mortada to discuss the brand's past and future, and chat about life in Beirut.
Trunk: Tell us a little about your brand.
Rouba Mortada: I've always been passionate about all things paper – especially greeting cards and packaging. I've collected so many over the years and l'll never gift something without a card or proper wrapping. To some it's perhaps a small detail, but to me its honestly a pleasure – finding the right card, choosing the wrapping paper, tying a ribbon – sometimes more fun than selecting the gift itself!
To that end, it was almost a natural progression in my design career to want to create my own niche brand of stationery and paper goods. And while Choux à la Crème has grown organically in the past few years into a more cohesive brand with a recognizable aesthetic, it is still very much a labour of love, with everything still printed by hand on a vintage Heidelberg letterpress. That will always remain the philosophy behind the brand – everything we do is handmade with love, eco-friendly, and constantly pushing the limits of paper as a medium.
– Rouba Mortada.
T: Where do you find design inspiration?
RM: Sometimes I think inspiration finds me instead! Choux à la Crème is a very personal project and I naturally draw inspiration from my own experiences and interests. I'm lucky to be the creative director of my own brand, and in many ways able to experiment with the design direction without the pressure or risks a bigger brand may be faced with.
The upcoming summer collection is very much inspired by the fresh and bright colours and fruits of the season. My favourites will be included: pineapples, watermelons, pomegranates – all printed with a dash of our signature gold foil letterpress touches of course!
T: What are you currently working on?
RM: I've always considered Choux à la Crème to be a lifestyle brand, and while paper goods will always remain at the heart and core of my collections, there are many more signature items I hope to add to our product offerings in the future. As such, I have been working on a special project these past few months and I'm very excited to announce the launch of our 2 signature home scents that are being produced in Grasse, France. It has been a lovely experience working with an olfactory house, Ideo Parfumeurs, to create something unique and very much within the Choux à la Crème spirit. The initial application of the scents will be scented candles, something I personally love and am an avid consumer of. The packaging will be unique as always, and I'm hoping for a launch date of late summer or early autumn. Will keep you posted!
– The Choux à la Crème Workshop in Beirut, Lebanon.
T: Where do you call home?
RM: I've been fortunate to have lived in many lovely places, that will always feel like home to me, one of which I'm currently based in; Beirut. While sometimes a conflicted city unfortunately – it still remains a beautiful, charming and cosmopolitan one nonetheless.
T: Tell us about some of your favourite local places.
RM: One of my favourite shops is Papercup, a specialized art and design bookstore that also houses every magazine under the sun. A charming neighbourhood spot that also serves the best coffee and homemade sweets. I can be found there a few times a week, collecting books with pretty covers!
Another favourite is Orient 499, an eclectic concept store where the modern blends beautifully with traditional artisan handicrafts – I've always thought of it as a true representation of the soul and energy of Beirut. Their monthly-designed lovely storefront windows are reason enough to visit! I should probably mention that both these shops carry my collections, but that is absolutely not why I have selected them – The truth is, I was a big fan of both even before they became my retailers, and being able to sell my brand at a spot I love and frequent has been a wonderful experience.
My favourite gallery space is the Beirut Exhibition Center. Located at the Beirut downtown waterfront, the building itself is something to be seen, with a stunning mirrored aluminium exterior. They always curate the most interesting shows; not to be missed.
As far as restaurants go, Beirut is never at a loss for a good place to eat! Trendy new spots always come and go, but my favourite has remained consistent throughout the years – Casablanca. Housed in a lovely old villa with high ceilings facing the sea, they serve the freshest seafood and local organic produce. The view is truly beautiful during the day for lunch or brunch, while the space easily transforms into a cozy dinner spot at night. Don't leave without trying the grilled octopus, the summer rolls and the wild mushrooms to start, and make sure you leave room for their amazing cheesecake for dessert!
One last foodie tip – you can't leave Beirut without a taste of the best ice cream you'll ever have! Oslo Ice Cream shop is a charming little spot serving delicious ice cream and sorbet flavours (the rose loukoum & chocolate orange peel are a must), alongside an array of sweet desserts. If you do make the trip, grab the earl grey cookies and raspberry/sugared almonds pound cake to go as well, you won't regret it.
T: Finally, what are your five essential items for travel?
RM: I certainly don't travel light! But if I had to list the top 5 items only, it would probably be as follows:
1. My MacBook Pro – can't get myself to travel without it.
2. My Moleskin agenda – I still love writing my schedule old-school. Have not been able to switch to a digital calendar.
3. My skin-care essentials (La Mer & Aesop) – it's best that I don't start gushing about these lest I don't stop! But if I had to pick one from each I would say La Mer's Radiant Serum and Aesop's Fabulous Face Oil.
4. A pretty pair of heels – the one thing you won't be able to easily buy on the spot in case the occasion arises while you're at your destination
5. And I'm never without my stationery box of Choux paper goodies of course! You never know when you may end up needing a pretty card to write on.
A warm thank you to Rouba from all of us at Trunk for taking the time to chat. Shop a selection from Choux à la Crème here. For more from behind the scenes at Trunk, like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.